Never Again
by moody.muddy
Summary: Rodolphus in the aftermath of the war


She is so beautiful, such perfection. Her skin is creamy and so soft to the touch. I love her more than my own life.

Rodolphus was sat in the chair opposite the king sized bed he shared with his wife Bellatrix. That night he'd had a nightmare again and instead of waking her with his tossing and turning from where he couldn't sleep any longer he had tucked the covers around her then gone to sit in the chair and watch her sleep while losing himself in his thoughts.

His thoughts tonight, as they had the previous few nights, turned to Bella. He wanted to have a child with her, a beautiful bouncing baby boy or maybe even a girl. Better yet one of each.

He hadn't told her of his thoughts yet as always they had been made to wait but lately he found he wanted more and more to see her stomach swell with their child, to see her holding the tiny infant in her arms and to see that loved look all mothers seemed to get. He'd been jealous when he had seen her swell with the dark lord's child, but maybe after victory was assured they would have the chance to start their own family finally.

At that moment Bella turned over and opened those deep onyx eyes of hers. They were eyes he could drown in. "Roddie..my love..what are you doing out of bed?" Even with her voice thick from sleep she was the most beautiful person he had ever seen "I was thinking" he voiced his reply and went to sit on the bed beside her "Thinking my love? About what?" Looking deep into her eyes he smiled as he voiced for the first time his unspoken desire "I want to start a family with you. After tonight there will be no reason why we cannot take time to raise our family. He will be victorious tonight, Potter will die".

An excited Bellatrix flung herself into his arms and laughed, "my wolf, we could have two or three after the battle tonight". Engaging him in a kiss things soon turned passionate and throughout the Malfoy Manor sounds of their lovemaking echoed through the walls. It was only as the sun was climbing the late morning sky that the couple emerged from the bedroom, hours after the sounds had started. Kissing her husband again Bellatrix smiled, "I will see you at lunch, my lord wishes me to attend him as soon as I am up today". She didn't tell him she thought she may well have caught that time around, it could be a treat for later. It would seem they were going to get their wish after all, a baby boy or a girl.

It wasn't until almost the evening meal when they saw each other again, this time just as they were changing into their battle dress. The whole day Bella had spent with their lord, training with him and counselling him as she was supposed to. Seeing Rod though had a grin breaking over her face as she threw her arms around him. They didn't have long until the battle would start but she needed to tell him, "my wolf, listen to me. I know now isn't a good time but.. I think I might be pregnant".

Pregnant! His face lit up and he held her tight against him but there was no time for anything further, they had to go, they had a brat to kill and an order to put down before they could celebrate.

Standing outside Hogwarts school awaiting the order to attack they held each other's hand for a moment and mouthed an 'I love you' to each other before dropping into battle readiness. They'd both been training for this for the whole of their adult life and now they could almost taste the sweetness of success.

That though was hours ago.

Stumbling over bits of rock and broken masonry he stumbles through the crowd of celebrating order members trying to keep a low profile, until he sees her body in the great hall, laid over the table while every other body was being carried away for burial.

Lurching over to her he stares down at her, waiting to see if she would wake and rus into his arms but of course she never could do that again. Picking up one of her hands he dropped it in shock as he realised how cold she already was.

His wife, his little scorpion.

Letting out an anguished cry, a cry more sorted to that of a werewolf during a fall moon, he sank to his knees as he fisted his hands into the material of the dress she wore, burying his face in her lap.

Where was he when she had been killed? He'd sworn to her that night after Azkaban that he would always protect her, would make sure nothing would hurt her.. But he had failed. Here he was alive still but she was dead.

As he knelt on the cold stone, not caring now who knew who he was, he let the images come, images he would never see her again; of her excitement over seeing a bee in the gardens, her childish delight when arranging her teddy bears, the way they would dance in the rain or walk beneath the stars. Never again would he hear her singing in the shower or smell that fragrance that was just her. Never again could he ever eat, or even look at, a chocolate frog again.

And never would he get to be a father with his wife, the woman he had loved since they were just toddlers. Just hours before he was on top of the world but now.. Now he had nothing.

As anguish turned to rage at her leaving he remembered then how Narcissa had betrayed them all by pronouncing Potter to be dead. Hearing the auras apparate in then he leaned forward and kissed her again, for the last time as he pulled out some of her hair and took her crow necklace before apparating away. Narcissa would pay for this, he would hunt that bitch down and murder that boy of hers in front of her before killing her. It was all he had left now, the need for revenge.


End file.
